Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

Rachel turned three in April. I know, what happened to my baby? For her birthday party, I made a unicorn cake. But her actual birthday was about a week before the party, and I felt like I needed to make something for her special day. When I asked her what she wanted, she told me “pink cake”. She loves strawberries. No, she adores strawberries! And I had a lemon in the fridge. So I decided to make Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes. I combined three of my favorite recipes to come up with these, and they were an epic success! Everyone loved them, not just the birthday girl. 🙂

The cupcakes themselves are nice and moist, with a hint of lemon flavor. They aren’t a vibrant pink color, but you could add a few drops of red food coloring if you like. The glaze on top might seem a little strange, but it adds another level of flavor to the cupcakes. Helps keep them moist as well. Then there’s the frosting. The heavenly, I could eat it by the spoonful frosting. I love all variations of cream cheese frosting, but this one is up there at the top of my list. It’s a beautiful color, and the strawberry and lemon are a perfect flavor combination. It is so good people!! I hope you’ll give these cupcakes a try. They are perfect for three year old birthday girls. Oh, and everyone else too!

Strawberry Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Combine all cake ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat for about 2 minutes, or till smooth. Pour batter into muffin cups filled with paper liners. Fill just over half way full. (I ended up with 26 cupcakes.) Bake at 350° for about 15-20 minutes, or till a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool for about 5-10 minutes. Combine glaze ingredients in a small bowl and whisk till smooth. Brush glaze evenly over warm cupcakes. Allow cupcakes to cool completely, then frost. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired. For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter till smooth. Add salt, lemon zest, and 4 cups of powdered sugar. Beat in the strawberry jam, and add more powdered sugar to get the consistency you need. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
-Makes 24-26 cupcakes